(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telescopic combined crutch and walking stick.
(b) Brief Description of the Prior Art
Crutches or walking sticks made of metal tubings and comprising one or more telescopic portions to make them adjustable as to length to suit persons of different heights, are well known in the art and commonly available almost everywhere. By way of examples, reference can be made to British Patent No. 685,781 to CONCENTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD. and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,383,786 to GISH; 2,575,681 to PETERS; 2,590,607 to GRIMBALL; 2,630,128 to SLATER and 2,817,348 to HOLLIDAY, Jr.
Crutches made of a sufficient number of telescopic tubings to make them easily collapsible and compressible to such an extent that they can, when not in use, be conveniently put away and packed into a suitcase and, when required for use, be very easily extended in operative position, are also known. By way of example, British Patent No. 122,694 to Kelly discloses such a crutch made of several lengths of tubing telescoping into each other so that they can be extended or contracted.
In addition, devices which can be used as a conventional walking stick and may be easily converted into a crutch, are further known. Thus, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,095 to SMITH, Jr. discloses a combined crutch and walking stick "wherein the structural elements forming the crutch may be collapsed so as to be virtually unnoticeable when the device is used as a cane". This article which is made of metal tubings, is telescopic and thus is not only convertable but also adjustable as to length, both when used as a walking stick and as a crutch.